Exploding primer tube

[smlranger]

Has anyone here seen this thread where a tube full of primers being placed in a Dillon press blew up in the guy's hand? It is an interesting and eye-opening thread, especially to someone like me who is still new to reloading.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=495909

[carver]

Well, I just read the whole thread, and all I can say is anything is possible! I've been reloading for over 40 years, and have never had anything go wrong, yet. Well, there was the one time that I forgot to add powder to a load!! Though I don't use the Dillion, nor do I use the pick up tube, I still find it hard to believe that this could have happened, but I do believe that it did. Dillon can't explain it, and they told the guy this happened to that they had no plans to change the design of the pick up tube. I'm sure that there will be others here that do use the Dillon products, maybe they will have some ideas of their own.

[243winxb]

Primer dust can build up inside the tube. The tubes should be cleaned to remove this residue now & then. Not all primers are sealed with a coating. This guy forced the primer feed, not a good thing to do.

[Brisk44]

Anytime you force something, bad things can happen. These parts and processes are designed to operate smoothly, when you force them you're asking for trouble.

Originally Posted by Brisk44

Anytime you force something, bad things can happen. These parts and processes are designed to operate smoothly, when you force them you're asking for trouble.

That's what SHE said.....

[smlranger]

I must have missed something in the OP's original post. What did he force? I thought he said he had used the pick up tube to pick up 50 primers and when he placed the tube in the press and pulled the pin, it went bang!

Also, how do folks generally clean the primer pick up tubes?

[Caneman]

Originally Posted by cpttango30

That's what SHE said.....

LOL, u bad man

[zant]

In 25yrs of using a Dillion 550,I can't begin to know how many times I've filled my primer tubes-no problems....I blow out the tubes once a week with air.....

[243winxb]

After jaming for the 3th time, i gave my old RL 450 a slam, i got lucky, no kaboom.

I must have missed something in the OP's original post. What did he force? I thought he said he had used the pick up tube to pick up 50 primers and when he placed the tube in the press and pulled the pin, it went bang!

Yes, he pulled the pin, setting off the primer dust in the tube. You didnt miss a thing

[LDBennett]

I too have never had any primer, in the tube, on the bench or in the press ever go off. I, as you probably already know, use a Dillon RL550B press and have for about 25 years.

But there is a potential problem that I solved before anything happened and it was/is Static Electricity. Where I live a walk across the carpet in my stocking feet can give me one whooper of a spark to a light switch. I live in the High Desert in CA. My reloading area benches sit on an electrostatic rubber mat. It is made to be conductive and is tied to ground. Any potential voltage built up on you is immediately discharged harmlessly when you walk onto the mat.

I worked in Aerospace electronics and our assembly area either had these mats or the assembly people had to wear wristbands tied to ground. The science says almost any static discharge in semi-conductor electronics harms them and eventually their life will be shortened. Mine will be too if a sparks jumps from me to the powder measure or to a tube of live primers.

Maybe it was a static discharge that caused the problem?

LDBennett

[medalguy]

I have been using Dillon presses since about 1984 and have loaded too many rounds to try to count, well over 200,000 in that time. Never had the first problem with a primer tube, or even a single primer detonating in a machine. Of course, if the primer feed stuck three times, I sure wouldn't FORCE it the next try!

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by LDBennett

I too have never had any primer, in the tube, on the bench or in the press ever go off. I, as you probably already know, use a Dillon RL550B press and have for about 25 years.

But there is a potential problem that I solved before anything happened and it was/is Static Electricity. Where I live a walk across the carpet in my stocking feet can give me one whooper of a spark to a light switch. I live in the High Desert in CA. My reloading area benches sit on an electrostatic rubber mat. It is made to be conductive and is tied to ground. Any potential voltage built up on you is immediately discharged harmlessly when you walk onto the mat.

I worked in Aerospace electronics and our assembly area either had these mats or the assembly people had to wear wristbands tied to ground. The science says almost any static discharge in semi-conductor electronics harms them and eventually their life will be shortened. Mine will be too if a sparks jumps from me to the powder measure or to a tube of live primers.

Maybe it was a static discharge that caused the problem?

LDBennett

Static discharge is being suggested in that thread as the culprit. He noted the RH in the area was low at the time. Folks have suggested grounding the press and wearing the wristbands while handling primers. Others have merely suggested not reloading during periods of RH below 25%.

[mncarpenter]

Originally Posted by LDBennett

I too have never had any primer, in the tube, on the bench or in the press ever go off. I, as you probably already know, use a Dillon RL550B press and have for about 25 years.

But there is a potential problem that I solved before anything happened and it was/is Static Electricity. Where I live a walk across the carpet in my stocking feet can give me one whooper of a spark to a light switch. I live in the High Desert in CA. My reloading area benches sit on an electrostatic rubber mat. It is made to be conductive and is tied to ground. Any potential voltage built up on you is immediately discharged harmlessly when you walk onto the mat.

I worked in Aerospace electronics and our assembly area either had these mats or the assembly people had to wear wristbands tied to ground. The science says almost any static discharge in semi-conductor electronics harms them and eventually their life will be shortened. Mine will be too if a sparks jumps from me to the powder measure or to a tube of live primers.

Maybe it was a static discharge that caused the problem?

LDBennett

i think you are probably right. I killed a $500 video card , installing in my computer w/o a wrist strap. Won't pull that stunt again. I don't have a lot of static in my house, but it doesn't take much.

[LDBennett]

smlranger said:

"Others have merely suggested not reloading during periods of RH below 25%."

That would mean I NEVER reloaded except on rainy days. You know what they say about the desert? "It never rains in the desert". A humid day here is when the humidity is above 15%!

Even a small static mat (correctly grounded!) or using the grounded wrist strap is a better choice that limiting the times when you reload. The mat does not have to be big but just cover the area that you might stand or sit on when handling either primers or powder or use the press.

LDBennett

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by LDBennett

smlranger said:

"Others have merely suggested not reloading during periods of RH below 25%."

That would mean I NEVER reloaded except on rainy days. You know what they say about the desert? "It never rains in the desert". A humid day here is when the humidity is above 15%!

Even a small static mat (correctly grounded!) or using the grounded wrist strap is a better choice that limiting the times when you reload. The mat does not have to be big but just cover the area that you might stand or sit on when handling either primers or powder or use the press.

LDBennett

Any suggestions of getting a good ground in a basement? I could drill a hole in the floor and drive a grounding rod into the ground below the concrete floor but that seems like overkill. Grounding to the ground pin on the nearby electrical outlet is a possibility but if there was a fault somewhere in the circuit, I'd not want to have any current get on that line.

[LDBennett]

smlranger:

Modern houses carry a ground wire from each outlet all the way back to the circuit breaker box where it is hard grounded. I use that ground for my electrostatic rubber mat. It has been connected that way for 14 years.

LBennett

[hunte567]

wow

[The Duke]

Ive known it to happen before to someone else, but hasnt happend tp me in 50 years + of reloading...Thank Goodness!!! Having a piece of polish media in the primer cup while seating could explain some of the misfortunes...

LD is prob on to something with static electricity...I was cautioned by someone in my very early days of shooting black powder to always ground yourself before handling a metal can of black powder...Ive never forgot this, as Ive seen what a can of FFG can do if ignited..

[sliclee]

The Dillon pickup tube holds 100 primers once filled cannot move in the tubes if you place it down on your table. However, you put in 50, its half full. You put it down and the top one or two or more might fall on the side or get wedged and could possibly turn. You didnt clean the dust out of the tube, pick it up quick, they all slide and one falls on the edge sparks.
If you fill a tube partially never put it down always place primers in machine to be safe.